Our first full day in Hawaii! After finding out we did NOT float away on the wave, we watched some more news about Japan - pretty awful images from there.

Marian made breakfast, and after making sure it was still three, we headed off to see Pearl Harbor. We got tickets for the 2:20 USS Arizona Memorial, and then walked around the park area there for a while, reading the memorial signs and enjoying the weather. No snow!

It was only around noon, so we left for a bit, and headed to "world's busiest" Costco to pick up some Hawaiian beer, and Wasabi Doritos (YUM!). A quick snack and back to Pearl Harbor, where we checked out one of the museum areas, and then got to start our tour. It began with an interesting but sobering 20 minute video about the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Then we got on a boat, and went to the Arizona Memorial. Marian has tried to get on the boat 7 different times, and has always had it cancelled or run out of time. Apparently, the 8th time is the charm! We toured the Memorial, which is anchored over the sunken USS Arizona. It's amazing that oil STILL is leaking from the ship at a regular basis. You could stand there and watch it bubble up in blobs and then disapate. Flags were flying @ half mast as the leader of the US National Parks system had just died. The USS Arizona is taken care of as part of the US Parks system, although it's on a Navy base, and the guys handling the boat are Navy. It was also interesting to see the USS Abraham Lincoln docked in port - amazing to see just how giantic an aircraft carrier really is.

Here are some pictures from this: http://www.fast351.com/vacations/hawaii2011/

Then we headed to "La Mariana" - the last tiki bar on Ohau located on a marina. It's a favorite of Marian's , and we were all glad to find out it was still there after the wave hit. BUT we discovered that all the docks at the marina were destroyed and we saw a number of sunken or highly damaged sailboats nearby. It's a fun place, and we had a few "Fruity" drinks and tried Ahi Poke (a mix of raw tuna with spices, oil & seaweed) and Lumpi (shrimp spring rolls Mike actually knew as a Dutch food).

THen back to Marian's in Kailua to watch a bit of TV (we're "helping" her watch the Season 1 & 2 of "Rescue Me") before hitting the hay for the night.